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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Leland Hires Interim Police Chief

Crime doesn’t take a break, even while a town government searches for its next police chief.

The town of Leland is looking for a new law enforcement leader to replace Timothy Jayne, who was released earlier this month.

WHQR’s Jessica Ferrer reports that Lloyd Michael James, Jr. will serve as the interim chief until a permanent replacement is found. 

With more than 25 years of experience, James will work to keep crime at bay while the search for a new police chief continues in Leland.

His work includes gang prevention and serving as the Chief of Police for Stoneville, North Carolina, a town near the Virginia border.

Most recently, James has worked the Brunswick County Sheriff’s office. He will be replacing the current interim chief Karl Smith, who will resume his duties as Deputy Chief.  

The process is expected to take several months. In a press release, Town Manager David Hollis said that having James in the interim post will allow the time needed to find an ideal candidate.

Do you have insight or expertise on this topic? If so, we'd like to hear from you. Please email the WHQR News Team.

Jessica is a junior at UNCW pursuing a B.A. in communication studies with a minor in journalism. She worked on an audio project similar to NPR's StoryCorps over the summer where she interviewed mentors and their mentees on the UNCW campus. This project inspired her to work more with public radio and the media. She is also a contributing writer for the school's newspaper, The Seahawk. Jessica loves her job as a resident assistant, trying out new restaurants, working out so she can keep eating at new restaurants, and bringing news to the community.